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Scopophilia/Voyeurism
Voyeurism is a paraphilia characterized by a pattern of sexual behavior in which one's preferred means of sexual arousal is the clandestine observing of others when they are undressing, nude or engaged in sexual activity. Arousal is dependent upon the observed person/s not being aware that they are being observed. Usually, the sexual excitement which is aroused when peeping is greater when the risk of getting caught is high. Voyeurs are generally male; a common name for them is "peeping tom".
There are various degrees of Scopophilia. Watching pornography and reading hard-core books is considered as one form of voyeurism. Spying on another person is regarded as another degree. One has to draw a line between the onlooker and the voyeur. It is considered normal when a man looks at a nude woman in a magazine, or peep through a window to see her undress, but the voyeur usually goes through a lot of trouble to peep eg: attaching mirrors to shoes to glimpse under a girls skirt.
Various studies have shown that;
Voyeurs are often in their early 20's and likely to be the youngest in their family.
Onset of voyeurism is typically before the age of fifteen, and the individual may become so invested in the voyeuristic activity as to have this as the sole sexual behavior. This becomes typically a chronic condition.
Voyeurs often deny that they are such, have poor relationships with their father, have overprotective mothers and could have experienced early childhood trauma or abuse.
Treatment for this paraphilia is normally in the form of psychotherapy to uncover and attempt to work through the underlying causes of the behavior. Success rates however, are unknown.
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